Flood's Late Winner Nicks It For Falcons

TOBY Flood scored a match-winning try in added time to secure Falcons’ second win on the trot to start the new season.

- Luke Jarmyn

Flood read Michael Young’s chip over Sale’s defenders perfectly to clinch the victory. Despite the many new faces at Newcastle, the experienced pair showed the importance of keeping a cool head to seal the win in the big battle of the north.

It sent a message to the Premiership that Falcons’ opening day victory at Bath was no fluke.

Dean Richards feared his side would struggle after eight months without a competitive fixture, but on their performances so far they can look far beyond just a relegation scrap.

Falcons’ try scorer Sean Robinson said: “Two from two was on the wish list. I thought we’d let that one slip away, to come back at the end when we thought it was gone is good.

“We were composed under the sticks to manage the win. We stuck to our processes, put the pressure on them and came away with it.